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When the meal was over, Adam had to show Ian his new skills in arms. Joanna wished to display her ability to read and write and cipher. Both insisted that he measure their progress in horsemanship. Alinor said tentatively that Ian had had enough of them, but she was obviously well pleased when he denied it and went with them. They came in from their ride just as dusk was falling, laughing and disheveled. Alinor said it was time for bed; they pleaded for a little longer, for Ian to tell them a story he had learned from the bards in the Welsh strongholds when he stayed with his clan brother Llewelyn. |
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Ian was not Welsh, but he had captured Llewelyn, the grandson of the most important chieftain of North Wales, in a punitive war when he was still Simon's squire. It was Ian who had conducted Llewelyn to a brief, honorable and most luxurious captivity at John's hands, and the two young men had ended by becoming fast friends. In later years, when Llewelyn had inherited his grandfather's power, he had not only given Ian several estates in Wales but had gone through the elaborate ceremony that inducted Ian into his clan and made them "brothers in blood." |
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Ian spent a fair amount of time in Wales and had grown to love the people and their traditions. He was well pleased to tell the story of the hunting of the great boar Twrch Trwyth. It was full dark when he finished. Torches blazed in the hall, and candles glowed golden in the area before the great hearth that was reserved to Alinor's family and guests. |
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"And now to bed," Alinor said very definitely. |
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More pleas, eyes raised adoringly to their champion. Ian glanced at Alinor, almost as pleadingly. She laughed but shook her head. He sighed. |
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"You must obey your mother. I will be here tomorrow." |
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"Only tomorrow?" A double shriek that made Ian clap his hands to his ears. |
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